Now & Forever
by Bohemian Anne
Summary: A present day Jack and Rose meet in Canada, but Rose's stiff, stilted society interferes with their growing relationship.
1. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

It was the first day of twelfth grade at St. Ignatius High School, in Thunder Bay, Ontario. Rose DeWitt-Bukater was almost bursting with excitement. Right now, she was in her room, reading a book about star-crossed lovers.

_Star-crossed lovers. These are the most unlucky of all couples. Something keeps coming between them, and until their souls get it right, they will keep coming back to be together. That's how much in love they are. Take Romeo and Juliet. They were so much in love that I believe that their souls came back as other people, until they got it right and spent their lives together. Some people have dreams or visions of their past lives, so if you have had strange dreams about being someone else, then you just may be a star-crossed lover._

Now Rose was confused. She had been having strange dreams about being on the Titanic, a first class privileged girl as she was now. She was unhappy about her life then, but now, she was happy—some of the time, anyway. Rose did not understand them at all. She hadn't told anyone about it, because, having been raised from birth as a member of one of the most prominent families in the city. She was very popular, and if anyone found out about her dreams, she would be shunned from popularity at her school.

She was always surrounded by a gang of giggling girls. As she stepped out of the limousine which drove her to and from school, she was surrounded by girls saying things such as, _How was your summer? What did you do? _

She finally struggled out of the group of people, happy to finally be alone. Her crowd was of people from privileged families. She found that they could be just as possessive about their friends as anything else they owned. Especially the boys. They tended to think of their girlfriends as objects.

As she sat down in her first class, the teacher came forward with an announcement. They were getting a new student. His name was Jack Dawson, and he had moved here from Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin. Then he buzzed the office, asking that Jack come down to the classroom. Five minutes later, they heard a knock at the door. Rose's seat was closest to the door, so Mr. Pascoe asked her to open the door and greet their new classmate. When she opened the door, she was almost speechless. She had expected a rough-looking boy, but was surprised to see a tall, blond-haired, blue-eyed boy standing there with a worn leather folder in his hand.

"H-hello, w-welcome to our s-school," she stuttered.

"I'm Jack Dawson."

"Rose DeWitt-Bukater."

"Ha ha. I'm gonna have to get ya to write that one down."

"Come on. You have to sit with me."

She grabbed his hand and dragged him to his seat.

"Mr. Dawson, would you like to come up here and tell us a little about yourself?" Mr. Pascoe asked.

"Yeah, sure. I guess." He got up and walked to the front. "Well, I used to live in Chippewa Falls..."

"Is that anywhere near Chippewa Park? Maybe he lives with the animals!" shouted Gary.

A dull flush went up Jack's neck.

The class started to laugh. He glanced at Rose. She wasn't laughing.

"Oh, Gary. Shut up!"

"Oh, someone's got a crush on the new boy! Eh, Rosie? Is that it? Do you have a crush on the new boy?" Gary asked.

"Um...no, of course not, Gary. I just think that you ought to be nicer to him, that's all."

"All right. That's it. That's enough, Gary! One more remark like that, and Mr. McKeown will be only too pleased to see you!" stated Mr. Pascoe. "Jack, you may continue now."

"Well, my parents died when my house went up in flames, and my closest relatives are here, so that's how I got here," he finished in a hurry, not wanting anymore comments from the class.

"All right. Go sit down now, Jack," Mr. Pascoe said. Jack left and walked down to his seat. "Okay. Open your books to page sixty-eight. Jack, you can share with Rose until we get you some proper books and things."

This lesson was rather sketchy, as it was the first day of school, so Jack and Rose contented themselves writing notes to each other on a scrap piece of paper.

_So, did your parents really die in a fire? _

_Yeah. It was pretty hard on me and my sister. She got sent to live with my aunt in California. But I got landed here instead. _

_I'm so sorry, Jack. Really I am. Where are you staying? _

_With my cousin James. He lives in that apartment building near the river_.

_You mean River Heights Apartments? _

_You know the place? _

_Of course. I've lived here all my life. My parents were originally in Philly, but I guess they decided here was better. But yeah, it's near Boulevard Lake and the skate park in Current River_.

_Um...sure...if that's where it is. Yeah_.

_Oh, I'm sorry, Jack. You don't know where these places are. Today is Wednesday. It's the sailing club's first meeting. At six, I'll take you on a tour, and then you can join me and my cousin on our sailboat. _

_Sure. That'd be great. By the way, where do you live? _

_I live on Court Street. _

_Wow. James told me that's the rich part of town. I figured you must be rich because you've got a sailboat. _

Then the bell rang, and they headed off to their next class, French.

"Jack, we have Madame Franks. She's really strict, so no writing notes, or she'll read them to the class."

"Yeah, right. I bet she just says that to scare you."

"Oh, no! She's done it before. Believe me."

"Ha ha. Has she caught you?" Rose immediately blushed.

"Well, yeah. Once...shh...here she comes."


	2. Chapter Two

**Chapter Two**

"Well, class, let's get down to business. Open your texts to page twelve. We will be studying past tense verbs, but before that, let me review the rules that I expect to be followed by the entire class. There will be no note passing, no gum chewing, no talking, and when answering or asking a question, you will say it in French. Is that clear?"

"Oui, Madame," the class said in unison.

During that whole class, Jack's mind was nowhere near the lesson. He had taken enough French lessons back home to know past tense verbs, so he took out his charcoal pencil and just sketched little drawings of nothing in particular. He drew a sailboat, Lake Superior, and...Rose. He thought that it was some of his finest work, for just doodling.

"Mr. Dawson! I believe I asked you a question?"

"Could you repeat the question?"

"All right, but only because it's the first day. After this, you are expected to pay attention! And after you answer the question, I want to see what you were doing."

Jack answered the question even better than some of the French immersion students. When Madame Franks came by to see what he had been doing, he reluctantly showed her his portfolio.

"Jack, this is exquisite work! I'm going to see if Mr. Clarkson has a free period during any of your French periods."

"Why?"

"You have a gift, Jack. You do. You see people, and I believe that with just a little more instruction, your drawings could be even better. You might have a lot of homework in my class, but if what you demonstrated answering that question is any indication, you already can speak fluent French. And I'm sure Miss DeWitt-Bukater would be pleased to pick up your homework for you."

With that, the bell rang. They were off to their next class, Phys. Ed.

"Who do we have for gym?"

"Well, I don't really know. Last year we had Mrs. Dufame, but she's on maternity leave, so I believe we may have a sub."

"All right! A sub! Wahoo! I feel like the king of the world!"

"And why is that?"

"Well, back home, me and my friends were holy terrors to the substitute teachers we had. We never had the same one twice, because they refused to come in and teach us!" Jack had a gleam in his eye, and Rose could tell he was planning something.

"Well, come on, Jack. Tell me what are you going to do."

"Well, this I usually save for more important times, but I'll do it just for you!" With that, he whispered in her ear what he was planning to do.


	3. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

As they all stood in a big group, waiting for their gym teacher, Rose couldn't help but giggle! She alone knew what Jack was going to do, and it was a doozy!

The doors opened. In walked the tallest man any of them had ever seen! He had to at least be six foot ten. He hardly fit through the door!

"Um...Jack, are you sure that you want to do this?"

"Yep. The bigger they are, the harder they fall."

"We are going to do basketball this term. Get with a partner and practice your chest passes. Now!" They all jumped up and grabbed a ball.

"Rose, you have to come with me. All right?"

"Okay. I hope you're better at basketball than I am."

"Perfect! You're...um...not that good at basketball, so I want you to be talking to the sub over there, but you have to be in the proper spot, okay? Stand just to the left of the key, but so that you can see me, and have the sub standing right in the middle of the key. All right?"

"Right."

"Okay! Let's do it!" Rose cautiously approached the sub and asked him about the chest pass. She stood exactly where Jack had told her to. Jack was doing perfect chest passes at the wall, and he got closer and closer, when he all of a sudden took out a knife and cut the cord that was attached to the basketball net. Immediately, it swung down and neatly caught the sub around the shoulders, and he swung with the net back and forth until the net stopped. Meanwhile, Jack had come around to make it look like he was coming to get Rose to practice. The entire class was doubled over in laughter. Hearing the commotion, the vice-principal had come down from the office and immediately freed the sub.

"Jack, that was the funniest thing I've ever seen! How on earth did you think of that?"

"Let's just say that it was compliments from the Chippewa Falls Dawsons."

The lunch bell rang, and the class changed out of their gym clothes, so eager were they to tell the rest of the school what had happened to the sub.

"Jack, I want to come sit with you at lunch. I can tell you the places we're going to visit this afternoon."

"All right."

They left the gym on their way to lunch, talking excitedly about Jack's tour of Thunder Bay.

"Well, you must see Hillcrest Park, Boulevard Lake, Current River, Centennial Park, and the last place we'll go is the marina."

"Why the marina?"

"Well, that's the lakefront, and, of course, our sailboat is down there, but we'll get there early so we can walk down the boardwalk. And we must go to the train station."

"Okay. Okay. I see we're going to have to leave early with so many places to go. I'll pick you up right after school."

"Oh, you needn't worry about that. My chauffeur will drive us."

"Oh. All right, I guess."

"All right. I'll see you later, then."


	4. Chapter Four

**Chapter Four**

At the end of the day, when Rose's chauffeur came to pick her up, she introduced him to Jack, and announced that there would be a change in plans. She would not be going home. She and Jack would be going on a tour of the town. She stopped by at her house for a moment to pick up an outfit suitable for sailing. She ran out of the house, ignoring protesting shouts from her mother.

"I'll be back after sailing!" she yelled. "All right. Let's go, Jack. Where would you like to go first?"

"Well, I don't really know where to start. Come to think of it, I don't know where any of these places are, so lead the way, Rose!"

"Marvin? We would like to go to Centennial Park, please, and hurry, if you don't mind."

When they arrived at Centennial, they parked and started on their walk through. They stopped at the fence to feed the horses, and went into the barn to see the chickens, chicks, and other little animals. They fed the cow and rabbits, and saw the ducks and geese. Afterwards, they went to the playground. Made almost completely of wood and built like an old log cabin, they amused themselves running through it and sliding down the slide. They took turns pushing each other on the swings. With her clothes a dirty mess and her hair fallen from her sophisticated coiffure, she tried to put herself together as they took a relaxing miniature train ride through the woods. They saw the old logging cabins and machinery used in 1912 to log the forest. After the train ride, Rose led Jack up a path near the chalet. They climbed up and up, and when they reached the top, they got the most wonderful view of the Mackenzie River.

"Isn't it the most beautiful sight you've ever seen, Jack?"

"It's beautiful. But not as beautiful as the girl I'm with."

"Excuse me? You don't know me, and I don't know you. Don't presume I'm going to fall under the spell of those blue eyes of yours, because if that's what you think, you have a lot to learn!"

And with that, she stalked back down the trail, and left Jack dumbfoundedly standing at the top of the mountain.

Rose tried to maintain her composure as she directed Jack around the rest of the town.

_Why did his words upset me so much? He thought I was beautiful. Why did I snap at him like that? I have to act normal for the rest of the tour. Come on, Rose. Deep breaths. Deep breaths. _

Whenever she thought about this, the reason was always...Cal. Her old boyfriend. He was one of society's greatest catches...or so her mother put it. When she had dated Cal, she was miserable. She always had to act like a perfect little lady. In public, if she stepped out of line, he would put up a front and act like nothing happened, but later—that was when she had to worry. He would hit her if she talked back, and he grabbed her arms so hard he left bruises. Her face had sometimes felt as if it were broken. That was how hard he hit her. Finally, she just flat out dumped him, in public at a society dinner.

_"Sweetpea? Sweetpea? Would you please pass me the filet mignon?" _

_She accidentally knocked over a cup of wine. As she watched the red wine seep through_ _several feet of the white tablecloth, getting closer and closer to the edge of the table_, _she realized that she was like that wine, getting closer and closer to the edge every time she went out with Cal. She decided to just end it there and then. That way everyone would know, and Cal would not be able to cover it up. She announced to the whole table that she was going to break up with Cal. When they asked her why, she said that she was tired of being beaten for every little mistake, and with that she wiped the makeup off her face to reveal the ugly purple bruises, rolled up the sleeves of her gown, and later showed the women the marks on her back. Cal was publicly humiliated and shamed before everyone. It was one of her happiest moments. _

But something about being with Cal changed her whole perspective of men. She had presumed that all the men were like Cal. That had to be the answer! That was why she was afraid to have someone love her! That was why she snapped at Jack!

The rest of the tour was uneventful. Some of the people walking on the boardwalk gave her funny looks because her hair was a mess and her clothes were dirty. She had no doubt that these rumors would eventually get to her mother, but right now she was too happy to care.

"Wow, Rose, look at that sunset! Right over the Sleeping Giant! It's like an artist's dream!"


	5. Chapter Five

**Chapter Five**

When it was time to go sailing, Rose and Jack met up with her cousin at the pier. Rose's cousin was on her mother's side of the family, so she looked a lot like Rose, except she had her mother's attitude, and Rose did not really like her, but she loved sailing, and Jessica was the only one who knew how.

"Rose! My goodness! You look a fright! Come inside. You can change belowdecks, and I'm sure I can do something with your hair!"

"Jack, you can come aboard and look around. I'll be back in a moment."

"That..._person _is coming with us?" Jessica asked incredulously.

"Yes, he is, and Jessica, I would appreciate it if you would be pleasant and civil to him. I invited him along as my guest, and he is my friend! I am not going to let you do something with my hair. I happen to like it down!"

Rose appeared above decks five minutes later in an outfit of pale purple silk that flared at her hips and just cleared the deck. Her long red hair curled loosely down her back, and she called to Jack excitedly that they would be leaving in just a few moments.


	6. Chapter Six

**Chapter Six**

Jack was at the bow of the boat, looking out at Lake Superior and the Sleeping Giant. He couldn't believe the beauty of it. There was never anything like this in Chippewa Falls. He heard Rose call out that they were casting off and that she needed his help. But he paid no attention. He was too enraptured by the beauty of everything around him. His previous life was nothing compared to this. He had been upset about his parents' deaths and being separated from his sister, because no one in their family could afford to keep both of them.

"Jack? Are you all right?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I'm just fine."

"I'm not sure. I called your name at least five times, and all you did was stare ahead. Are you sure you're all right?"

"Yeah, Rose. I'm fine, okay? There's nothing wrong with me!" She had moved closer and had put her hand on his shoulder.

"Jack, I know we only just met today, but I'm willing to listen if you ever need someone to talk to."

"Rose! I told you I was fine, and I mean it! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get a snack!"

She stood there, bewildered. What had she done wrong? She had tried to be understanding and sympathetic.

_I guess that's what I get for living with Mother all these years,_ she thought.

"Rose? Rose? Where are you?"

"Right here, Jessica. I'm right here."

"Rose, thank God! There's a loose rope up there on the mast. I'm the only one who knows how to sail this, so I can't get it. Do you think that you and that...person you brought might be able to?"

"Is it necessary?"

"Yes, very! If those ropes do not get tied back soon, we'll blow over and capsize!"

Rose took off running. She tripped on her high heels and ran right into Jack's chest.

"What is it, Rose?"

"Jessica says...that there's a loose...rope on the mast...and we'll capsize if...it's not tied!" she managed to gasp out.

"I'll go!" he said instantly.

"I'm coming, too!"

"No, you're not!"

"But I have to! Jessica said it's a two person job."

"All right, but be careful."

They started to climb, up and up to the platform that Jessica referred to as the crow's nest, but it was no such thing. The wind on Lake Superior was more often than not unpredictable. A sudden gust sent the sailboat to a forty-five degree angle to the surface. Rose, in the high heels that her mother forced her to wear, tripped again on them as she struggled to regain her balance from the gust of wind. But no such luck would she have. She fell of the edge of the platform.

Jack, who was making himself responsible for Rose's safety, dived onto his stomach and grabbed her hand just before it got out of reach.

"I've got you! Hang on!"

"Help, please! Please, get me! Please!"

"It's all right. I've got you. I won't let go. Now, come on! Pull yourself up!"

As they both struggled, Rose finally collapsed on the platform. Gasping for breath, she started towards the ladder. Jack let her go. He began tying the ropes. Ten minutes later, he started down the ladder. He found Rose clutching the ladder midway down. She looked so pale Jack was surprised she hadn't fainted.

"Come on, Rose. You can do it! One step at a time!"

Finally, she managed to get down the ladder. She slumped down on the deck in a dead faint. Jack lifted her easily in his strong arms and carried her belowdecks. He laid her on a bed and soon she came to.

"Jack? What happened?"

"Don't worry, Rose. It's all right now. You're okay."

"What happened to me?"

"You almost fell in the lake, but I saved you, and you're all right now."

"I remember now! Where's Jessica?"

"She's still above decks, I think."

"Well, I'm feeling much better, and I want to start learning how to sail, so let's go."

"No, Rose. You should rest a while longer."

"Nonsense! I feel fine! A little faint isn't going to stop me from sailing!"

"Rose, no!"

"Don't presume to tell me what I will and will not do. You hardly know me!" And with that, she got up and stomped above decks. Before looking for Jessica, she straightened her clothes and tried to fix her hair. Her mother insisted upon her wearing the latest designer clothes, whether they were appropriate for her activities or not. She had the maids try to tame her fiery red curls in a fashionable style.

Jack was cooled off and coming back to talk, to try to explain to Rose why he was upset, when he heard voices drifting on the wind.

"Rose, I have to teach you to sail now! But because you brought that bohemian, I guess I have to teach him how to sail as well."

"Yes, Jessica. He's a lowlife, a scum, a gutter rat! Yes, Jack Dawson is not good enough to be on this boat, but now I guess you're stuck with him! Because we all know the rule. Once you start sailing in this club, you have to continue to the end. Well, I'm so sorry, Jessica, that I brought a gutter rat on _my_ boat."


	7. Chapter Seven

**Chapter Seven**

Jack couldn't…he could not believe what he had just heard.

Rose had called him a lowlife, a scum, a gutter rat.

He couldn't believe it…he wouldn't…but somewhere inside him, he couldn't help it.

He had really fallen for her, too. This was what always happened to him. Whenever he felt something for another, they turned on him.

_I must be cursed,_ he thought to himself.

He thought about running above decks and demanding an explanation for this, but thought better of it.

"Jack, I'm sorry I stormed out of here like that, but I was upset. That really scared me."

He just stared ahead.

"Jack? Are you sure you're all right? You were so out of it earlier."

"Rose! I told you I was fine!"

He stomped above decks to the bow. When he had been shuttled back and forth between his relatives, an uncle had had a small motor boat and had allowed Jack to take it out sometimes. He had always found some sort of peace just being on the water.

_What have I done now? _she thought. _Have I just ruined something else?_

She further straightened up, tried to put her wild curls back in place, and tried to straighten her clothes. Her fashionable clothes, she thought, were a sad affliction to her life.

Never being able to eat as much as she wanted, or relax in them, or even allow herself to be a healthy weight.

She was imprisoned in these expensive creations that her mother as good as forced her to wear.

When she was thirteen, she had flat out refused to wear them, but _that _ended in a three hour standoff between her and Ruth.

Ruth, of course, had won.

_Why can't I be like all the other girls? Just live a normal life without all the pressures of society. Without my mother. _

When it all came down to it, her mother was the one who had made her life a living hell.

The latest clothes, shoes, and intricate hairstyles had been her life since she had turned thirteen.

She had wanted to run away several times, but knew well enough that if her mother ever found her she would be worse off than she already was.

XXXXX

He stared ahead at Lake Superior, watching the sun go down. He was thinking how soon he had fallen for Rose, and how soon he had been yanked back up just as fast, if not faster.

Sometimes he wanted to just leave it all behind, but then he thought of Rose...she had hurt him in the worst possible way, but he still cared. He couldn't help himself.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Chapter Eight**

Finally, they returned to shore. As much as he liked boating, Jack hadn't enjoyed the afternoon, and was glad that it was over. He didn't think he'd go again, even if he was invited. The snobbery of these high society girls was more than he cared to deal with.

When they docked, he left without a backward glance. Ordinarily, he would have made some rude remark to the person who had insulted him for no reason, but he didn't want to be around Rose long enough to do even that.

Rose called after him, offering him a ride home, but he ignored her, walking in the direction of the nearest bus stop. She was as bad as the rest of them, he thought—and then wondered why it bothered him so much.

As he waited for the bus that would take him back to his own neighborhood, Jack sat and thought about Rose, and about what she had said. Why did it bother him so much? He'd faced snotty people before, people who thought they were better than anyone else because they had more money or better jobs or nicer houses. The students he had met that very morning were prime examples of that, especially Gary, who Jack already realized was a bully. He planned to steer clear of the high society kids as much as possible.

But somehow, Rose's words had hurt more than the taunts of the other kids. It made no sense—she was one of them, after all, and there was no reason why he should feel differently about her. To be sure, she was pretty, and her laughter was music to his ears, but he'd liked other girls before.

As the bus pulled up, Jack finally realized why Rose's comment had hurt more than those made by the other kids. He had thought that she was different. She had defended him, after all, against the taunts of their classmates, and had sat with him at lunch and offered to show him around Thunder Bay. Everything had been fine until he had commented on her beauty, and then she had gotten upset.

_I guess she doesn't like it when lower class guys show an interest in her. She's probably got some rich boyfriend somewhere who showers her with everything she could want. Maybe the whole point of her inviting me along was to show me just how out of place I am here. Well, she won't have to worry about me hanging around and embarrassing her in front of her rich friends. I'm through with her and her society._

In his anger, Jack never stopped to consider that there might be some other reason why Rose had said what she did, or why she had gotten so upset when he had said she was beautiful. He only knew what he had heard, and gave no thought to why Rose had spoken so harshly and called him a gutter rat.

_I tried to be friendly—I even helped her when she fainted out there—but if she doesn't want anything to do with me, that's her right. I won't push it—I know where I'm not wanted. I don't have to stay here for long, anyway. In less than a year, I'll be able to leave and go back to the United States. Who cares about Rose and her society?_

But as the bus made its way toward the lower-income part of town, he knew that he did care about Rose. He couldn't help it. No matter how rudely she treated him, there was something about her that made him care.

Sighing inwardly, he gazed out the window.

_I really thought she was different._


	9. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine**

Rose stared after Jack as he departed, confused and upset by his sudden change in attitude. They had been having fun—some of the time, anyway—and working together, and then he had suddenly turned cold to her, as though he were angry about something. For the life of her, she didn't know what the problem was.

Could it have been her fainting spell? Perhaps he had been embarrassed by it. Some people were, but it hadn't surprised her at all that it had happened. She had been afraid of heights since she was very young and had fallen from the balcony of her house, landing her in the hospital for three months. Over the years, she had become more inured to heights, but today's incident had been particularly disturbing—she had almost fallen again.

Jack had helped her then, and his comforting presence had enabled her to get back down to the deck before she had fainted, but afterwards he had been so angry, wanting nothing to do with her.

Still confused, she watched as he headed towards the bus stop. He hadn't even wanted a ride home with her, although most people would be glad to ride in such a luxurious vehicle.

As she stared after him, still wondering what had made him so angry, Jessica came up beside her. Watching as Jack walked away, she remarked, her tone snide, "I don't think we'll see him again. Heavens, Rose, what were you thinking, bringing a gutter rat on our boat?"

"I thought he was my friend." Rose frowned, looking into the distance. Jack had disappeared, but she still wondered what had gone wrong.

"Rose, you know that our kind doesn't associate with people like him. We have certain standards that we must maintain."

"Why?" Rose asked, surprised at her own question. "Why are those standards so important? What's wrong with people like him? I liked him."

"Liked is the key word here, Rose. You always were impulsive, and all too willing to associate with the wrong kind of people. They aren't like us. They don't have much money, or any understanding of the sort of manners required by our society."

"And yet we hire people like him to be our servants, and our employees when we go into business."

Jessica shrugged. "We're doing them a service—providing the jobs needed for subsistence."

"Don't you think they deserve just a little more than that?" Rose asked irritably. Her frightening experience that afternoon, followed by Jack's seemingly pointless anger, had left her nerves raw. Jessica's attitude was only making things worse.

Jessica looked at her as though she had grown two heads. "We're more than generous already. If people don't like the way things are, they can go somewhere else."

"We could at least give them some respect," Rose muttered, eager to take her leave of her cousin. Checking her watch, she told her, "I'd best be going. I have some homework to do."

She walked away in the direction of the waiting limousine, leaving Jessica staring after her in shock and bemusement.

As she reached the limousine, she took care to greet her chauffeur, Marvin, in a friendly manner. As he drove her home, she gazed out the window, lost in thought.

_What upset Jack so much_? she wondered. Their moods had run hot and cold all afternoon, it was true, but his sudden anger baffled her. She could find no reason for it.

At last, an idea of what the problem might be occurred to her. When she had been arguing with Jessica, she had referred to Jack as a lowlife, a scum, and a gutter rat. Was it possible that he had overheard and hadn't realized that she was being sarcastic?

It was possible, she acknowledged, but she didn't know how to contact him and find out. She might be able to talk to him in school tomorrow—if he was even willing to acknowledge her. He had been so angry, he hadn't even spoken to her when he left, had just walked away without a word.

Would he even speak to her? And if he did, would he understand what she had meant and be willing to forgive her for the misunderstanding?


	10. Chapter Ten

**Chapter Ten**

The next morning, at school, Rose tried to seek Jack out. They were in several of the same classes, so it shouldn't have been difficult, but Jack made a point of arriving in class at the last minute and leaving as soon as the bell rang, giving her no chance to talk to him. In addition, he ignored everyone but the teacher, causing his fellow students to make fun of him even more.

At lunch, Rose saw him sitting alone, but by the time she had made an excuse to leave her friends and go to him, he had gotten up to leave, and when she tried to follow him, he disappeared into the boys' bathroom, where she couldn't follow.

Several of Rose's friends had watched her attempts to talk to him with interest. Finally, Gary commented, smirking, "Slumming, Rose?"

"What?"

"I asked if you were slumming. Chasing that…what was his name again?"

"His name is Jack. And I wasn't chasing him."

"Sure you weren't," one of the girls, Amanda, said teasingly. "You've only been trying to talk to him all day."

"Well…well…" Rose sputtered. "Of course I want to talk to him. He's…he's my friend."

"He sure doesn't act like your friend." Gary laughed, slapping his leg as Rose's face turned red with embarrassment. "It looks like he doesn't want to be around you. I mean, he went into that smelly restroom to get away from you."

"Maybe he just likes it in there," Amanda remarked, bringing more hoots of laughter from the group.

"Shut up!" Rose snapped, more harshly than she had intended.

More laughter. "Ooh…Rose has a crush on him," Rose's friend Veronica teased her.

"I do not!"

"Oh, don't be embarrassed, Rose," Veronica told her. "He is good-looking."

"Hey!" Gary, who was Veronica's boyfriend, glared at her, not appreciating the remark.

"Don't worry, love. You're much better looking than him," Veronica soothed, trying not to cause trouble. He just pushed her away, sitting and eating his lunch in sullen silence.

Veronica rolled her eyes and turned to Rose. "Seriously, Rose, I can understand why you have a crush on him…but he's not one of us, you know. He'll never be accepted. And if you go after him…well…you know how people can be."

"Yes, I know how people can be." Rose knew all too well. Follow society's dictates and toe the line, or you were an outcast. Her society was very closed, very exclusive, and someone like Jack would never fit in, even if he had more money than any of them. They were all old money, with generations of wealth behind them, and an impoverished foreigner was someone to be treated with disdain at best, and more often with hostility—when they bothered to acknowledge such people at all. Even Rose, with all of her money and her good name, did not always fit in, although she tried to hide this fact, wanting desperately to fit in somewhere, even if it was into such a narrow-minded, narrow-focused group. She didn't even know if other groups would accept her—members of high society were regarded with suspicion and envy by those not so blessed…or cursed, depending upon how one looked at it.

The bell rang then, sending them scattering to their classes. Rose hurried away, but her mind was on Jack the whole time, wishing that she knew why he was so angry.

XXXXX

It wasn't until after school that Rose finally caught up to Jack. He was rushing down the hall, heading for the bus, when she turned and saw him heading in her direction. Thinking quickly, she darted into his path, almost colliding with him.

"Excuse me," he mumbled, trying to go around her.

"Jack, wait!"

"I have to get to the bus before it leaves without me."

"I'll have my chauffeur give you a ride home."

"No, thank you. The bus is fine."

Rose wasn't deterred, though. Running to keep up with him, she got in his way just as rounded a corner, making him stumble slightly and drop his armload of books and papers.

"Dammit, Rose!" he snapped, stopping to pick up the dropped items. "It's a long walk home, you know."

"I said I'd give you a ride." Rose's voice was frosty.

"And I said no."

"What is your problem?" Rose demanded, collecting a handful of papers and stuffing them into a folder. "Why are you avoiding me? What did I ever do to you?"

"Just go home, Rose. You wouldn't want your friends to see you talking to me."

Rose's temper snapped. "I'm through being polite, Goddammit!" Before he could react, she pushed him against the wall and got in his face, her high-heeled shoes making her almost as tall as him.

"Rose…" There was a warning note in Jack's voice.

"No! I thought we were getting along just fine, and then all of a sudden you started acting like a complete…jerk! Jack, why are you so angry with me?"


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Chapter Eleven**

Jack gave Rose a stunned look, surprised that she had been able to push him up against the wall like that. Then, his surprise turned into anger. Shoving her away, he stepped away from the wall, glaring at her.

"I don't see why you're trying to talk to me," he told her, glowering.

"Because I want to know what's wrong, that's why!"

"There's nothing wrong. I don't know why you'd think there is—or why you'd care if there was."

"Oh, so you think a socialite doesn't have feelings? That she can't care? Is that it?"

"I see no reason to think otherwise."

"Well, you're wrong! I do have feelings, and I do care! There's more to me than expensive clothes and boat trips."

"I hadn't noticed." He turned to walk away, then looked back at her. "I don't see why you'd want to talk to a gutter rat, anyway."

"A…a gutter rat? Oh, so you were eavesdropping!"

He gritted his teeth. "I wanted to see if you were okay. I wanted to talk to you."

"About being so out of it?"

"I was not out of it! Goddammit, Rose!"

"Don't you swear at me! I haven't done anything to you!"

"Haven't you? You were talking about me behind my back. Isn't that enough? Or was that fainting spell a ploy to get attention, too?"

"No." Rose's voice was icy. "It was not a ploy. I'll have you know that I have a terrible fear of heights. I fell from the balcony when I was little and almost died. Most of the time, they don't bother me anymore. But almost falling again—that frightened me. That's something even you should be able to understand."

"Oh, so you think a gutter rat is capable of understanding?"

Rose temper flared. "I didn't mean it when I called you a gutter rat! Or anything else, either! In case you didn't realize it, which you obviously didn't, I was being sarcastic. Jessica is not my favorite cousin, but she's the only one who knows how to sail. Otherwise, I wouldn't have had her along. It is _my_ boat, after all. I was arguing with her when I said that, making fun of her attitude!"

"Why didn't you say so then?"

"How was I to know why you were being a jerk?"

"So you've let me avoid you all day, looking like a total fool."

"You wouldn't let me explain!"

"You shouldn't have said it in the first place!"

"Who are you to tell me what I can and can't say? Canada is a free country, too, you know!"

"I think you enjoyed making me look like a fool. All your friends were laughing."

"At me, not you. They thought I was slumming." She sighed. "Look, Jack, I'm sorry. I should have tried to find out what was wrong on the boat. Can't we start again?"

"No." Jack gave her an icy look. "I want you and your friends to stay away from me. I've had it up to here with you."

He stomped away. Rose stared after him, fighting back tears.


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Chapter Twelve**

"All right, everyone! Line up!" Mr. Richardson blew hard on his whistle, startling the milling students out of their conversations.

Rose stood on her number, trying to avoid looking at Jack, who stood next to her. He ignored her, acting as though she didn't exist. Rose supposed that she should be glad that they hadn't had to line up the previous day—she would have hated to have had that fight with Jack in front of everyone.

Now, he simply ignored her. She glanced at him, but he stared straight ahead, looking for all the world as though he were intensely interested in the wall.

As Mr. Richardson finished taking role, there was a surprised murmur from the class as one of the vice principals walked in, followed by a security guard. They conferred with Mr. Richardson for a moment, then stood before the class.

"Students, we know that some of you were quite distressed by the incident that took place here two days ago, when one of the students cut the line holding the basketball hoop to the wall, allowing it to swing down and entrap your teacher. Fortunately, someone had the bravery to step up, and we now know who the culprit is."

The security guard gestured to Jack, who stepped reluctantly out of line. He looked back for a moment, wondering who had turned him in. His eyes narrowed as they fell on Rose. Who else had known what he was up to? Who else could have turned him in?

"Students, as you know, knives and other weapons are forbidden on campus. It is also forbidden to destroy school property or endanger the safety of teachers and students. We won't say who turned him in, but we do thank you."

That said, they left the gym, Jack dragging his feet and casting angry looks at Rose.

Gary laughed. "Look at him! You just can't trust these low class people."

Rose turned on him. "Shut up, Gary! You laughed as hard as anybody. Maybe you even turned him in!"

Gary shrugged. "It looks like he thinks _you_ turned him in, Rose. I'd watch out for him, if I were you!"

"I didn't turn him in!" Rose responded angrily. "Maybe it was a dumb thing to do, but we all thought it was funny!"

"Watch out for him, Rose. Even though you didn't turn him in, he thinks you did, and I bet he'll come after you. Low class people like him aren't very smart, you know."

"He's as smart as any one of us, and a talented artist! Just because he doesn't have money like we do—"

"Ooh…someone has a crush on him," Amanda teased.

"I do not! I just—there's no reason to make fun of him for getting caught doing something that all of us enjoyed watching!"

Holding her head high, Rose marched away from them toward the other end of the basketball court, but she could still hear the snickers and taunts following her.

_I hate my world. I really do. I wish I could just get away from all of them. Why do they have to be so mean? Jack never hurt any of them—and neither did I. _


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Chapter Thirteen**

Rose walked out of school, her head held high. Her friends stared after her, still whispering amongst themselves. They had been teasing her mercilessly since she had defended Jack that morning, their taunts growing more derogatory as the day went by.

Rose had never been so happy to hear the final bell ring. Walking slowly, trying not to show how much the teasing hurt, she headed for the parking lot, where her chauffeur was waiting.

She wondered where Jack was. She hadn't seen him since he'd been led out of the gym that morning, and hoped that he wasn't in too much trouble, despite the fact that Gary was probably right—Jack probably thought that she had turned him in.

Rose knew that she hadn't turned him in, but after the way Gary had teased her, she had a strong suspicion that she knew who it was. Gary had been just a little too gleeful about Jack getting into trouble, leading Rose to suspect that it was Gary himself who had turned him in.

She scowled, thinking of it. She had never really liked Gary, but he was a member of her crowd, and she had no choice but to put up with him. Members of the upper class stuck together to keep the lower classes out. More and more, Rose was wondering why it was so important to maintain that exclusiveness, but it was the way the world worked, and there was nothing she could do to change it.

When she reached home, Rose dumped her belongings in her bedroom, then sat and looked out the window, at a loss as to what to do. She was still upset by the way her friends had taunted her all day, and she doubted that anyone else would have any sympathy with her. A rich girl like her didn't have any problems that anyone would sympathize with. What was a little teasing? It just meant that she had stepped out of line and was being brought back to proper behavior.

Rose stared down at the yard below. The gardeners were clearing and clipping, cleaning out the remains of the summer flower garden now that autumn had arrived. She could faintly hear them through the closed window as they pulled up dead plants and cut back those that had completed their blooms.

_Everyone has something to do but me,_ she thought, watching them for a moment longer. She knew that she should sit down and get started on her homework, but she was in no mood to sit and study. She didn't even want to sit and watch television in her fancily decorated room, and she certainly didn't want to talk on the phone with any of her friends.

Impulsively, Rose decided to go out. She had dismissed her chauffeur for the afternoon, but that didn't mean that she couldn't go for a long walk. She could always call a taxi if she got too far from home and didn't want to walk anymore.

Quickly, before she changed her mind, she hurried down the stairs and out the front door, her cell phone tucked securely into her handbag. She nodded to the gardeners as she made her way down the front walk, then stepped out onto the sidewalk, trying to decide which way to go.

Several of her classmates lived up the street to the left, so she didn't want to go that way. In the other direction, the street met a main thoroughfare that eventually wound up at the lake.

Making up her mind, Rose started up the street to her right.

XXXXX

Rose didn't know how long she had walked, but it didn't seem like that long before she reached the playground she had shown Jack two days earlier. There were a few kids playing, a few mothers or au pairs watching, but the place was largely empty. Making her way over to an empty swing set, Rose sat down, idly swinging back and forth.

Lost in thought, she didn't notice anyone else approaching until the person spoke to her loudly and rudely.

"What are you doing here?"

Startled, Rose looked up to see Jack standing a few feet away, glaring at her.

"I came here to think—and to be alone," she added, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Well, too bad. I was here first."

"Excuse me? Who showed you this place? If you want to be alone, go somewhere else. I'm not moving."

"Leave, Rose."

"No."

They glared at each other challengingly for a moment before Jack leaned against one of the swing set poles.

"I guess you've come to gloat."

"What?"

"You came here to gloat about getting me into trouble. I wouldn't kiss your feet like every other guy, so you turned me in."

"I did not!"

"Oh? Then why did you turn me in?"

"I didn't!"

"Oh, come on, Rose. Don't lie to me. You're not very good at it."

"You're not very good at seeing the truth! _I didn't turn you in!_"

"Oh, yeah? Then who did?"

"I think it was Gary."

"Gary?"

"That boy who said you lived with the animals."

"How would he have known anything?"

"He was probably watching. He's been taunting me all day for defending you when they came and took you away."

"You did?"

"Yes, I did, Jack! Is that so hard to believe?"

"After what you said the other day, yes, it is!"

"I told you I was being sarcastic. You think you're so smart, but you can't even tell sarcasm when you hear it!"

"Whatever."

"Fuck you!"

"Well, well, well…that's not very ladylike."

"I don't care about being a lady, you idiot! I'll think as I please, and neither you nor any of my crowd can tell me otherwise!"

Jack stared at her for a moment, then laughed appreciatively.

"What's so funny?" Rose snapped.

"You do speak your mind, don't you?"

"Yes, I do! Do you have a problem with that?"

He raised his hands in mock surrender. "Not at all."

"Good."

They were silent for a moment, avoiding each other's eyes. Finally, Rose spoke again.

"What happened, if I may ask? They didn't expel you or something, did they?"

"No. They just suspended me for a week. I will be expelled if it happens again."

"I'm sorry. I swear I didn't turn you in."

"I guess I'll try to believe you." Jack was silent for a moment. "My cousin's real mad about my getting suspended, especially so early in the school year. He didn't want me here in the first place, but now…"

"Where would you go, if you didn't live with him?"

He shrugged. "Back to the United States, I guess, and into a foster home unless I could find a way to support myself."

"Don't you have any relatives there?"

"A few, but none of them can afford to keep both my sister and me, and our parents didn't leave us much. It's James or nobody."

"How awful," Rose murmured. "My father died a couple of years ago, but I've still got my mother—even though we don't always get along."

"I'm sorry to hear about your dad." Jack came and sat down on the swing next to hers. "My cousin didn't want to take me in…he said that kids who lose their parents are really hard to deal with, and I guess he was right. Like with Mr. Richardson. I'd never pulled such a stupid stunt before."

"I did some stupid things after I lost my father," Rose admitted. "I was fifteen, and liked him much more than my mother, who is so straight-laced and proper that she hardly ever cracks a smile. Anyway, after he died—he had cancer—I just wanted to stay in my room and cry all the time, but Mother wouldn't let me. She insisted that we keep up our social activities, keep up that perfect façade that people of our class are supposed to have. One night, I was just sick of it, and when we went into a restaurant for a fancy dinner, I threw a tantrum and dumped a glass of red wine all over my mother's dress before smashing the glass on the floor." She sighed, looking down. "Mother was more embarrassed than anything else. She pulled me aside and yelled at me, and got even more angry when I wouldn't stop crying. Then we went home, because she couldn't stand to stay there at dinner with that wine on her dress—even though her dress was the same shade of red and it didn't really show—and because she was so embarrassed by me."

"Didn't she understand how sad you were?"

Rose shook her head. "I don't think so, Jack. Mother isn't a very understanding person. Most of the people in our society aren't. It's—it's very shallow, Jack. You aren't supposed to get upset and show emotion, or let anyone know that life isn't quite perfect. My parents married for money, so when Father died Mother hadn't lost much. She inherited everything, except for what Father had put into a trust fund for me. That money will be mine when I'm twenty-one."

"What will you do then?"

Rose shrugged. "I don't know. I'll probably be married by then…a marriage of convenience, just like my parents'. What else is there to do?"

"What else…plenty. You could do anything you want. Canada is a free country, you know."

"Yes, but I don't live in a free society."

"So? You could always leave it."

Rose shook her head. "No, I couldn't, Jack. Once you're a part of my society, you're in it forever. There's no escape."

"Why not?"

Rose opened her mouth to speak, then closed it. She didn't know the answer to that question.

"You could do anything you wanted, I'm sure."

Uncomfortable, Rose changed the subject. "You almost sound like you approve of me."

Jack ducked his head, looking at the ground. "Well…you're not as bad as the rest of them, anyway."

"Yeah…you're nothing like what my crowd thinks of poorer people. You're not lazy, or dirty, or a drunk…although, come to think of it, some members of my crowd are like that."

Jack swung slowly back and forth before looking at Rose again. "Truce, then?"

Rose nodded slowly, looking at him and offering her hand. "Truce."

Smiling tentatively, they shook hands.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Chapter Fourteen**

Rose strode up the sidewalk, her high heels clicking as she moved. She felt better than she had in several days.

She didn't know why talking to Jack and calling a truce with him had made her so happy, but it had. Maybe it was because she hated being in conflict with anyone—or maybe it was because she liked him more than she would admit to anyone, even herself.

Smiling and humming to herself, she started up the long, circular driveway that led to her house. Halfway there, she stopped abruptly, her smile fading, as she saw her mother approaching her. Ruth's mouth was set angrily, her arms crossed stiffly over her chest.

Rose approached her mother tentatively, wondering what she was so upset about. She thought quickly about what she might have done—it was too early for report cards, and she usually got good grades anyway, she hadn't gotten into trouble at school, she hadn't done anything else…what could possibly make her mother that angry?

"Rose." Ruth's voice was cool. "Come into the house _now_."

"What is it, Mother? What's going on?"

"You know very well what's going on, Rose. Now come inside!"

"Mother…"

"Rose…do what I told you!"

Once they were in the house, Ruth turned angrily to Rose. "Don't lie to me, Rose! You know exactly what you did!"

Rose still shook her head, giving her mother a confused look. "No…is this about my inviting Jack to sail with Jessica and me the other day?"

"You took him sailing?" Ruth's face reddened angrily. "Rose, what have I told you about associating with the lower classes?"

"Mother…"

"Your friend Amanda called about half an hour ago. It seems that she was at the park when she saw you sitting on a swing and talking to that low-class trash."

"His name is Jack, Mother, and he isn't trash!"

"Do not contradict me, Rose. Amanda told me that you'd been chasing him for several days, and that you came to his defense when he was caught vandalizing school property."

"Everyone thought it was funny, not just me! And it was just a worn-out cord holding up the backboard on the basketball court. It probably would have broken soon anyway, and no one got hurt this way."

"Rose, you know that's unacceptable."

"I know, Mother. And Jack knows that, too. He's been suspended for a week, and I don't think he'll do it again."

"That is not the issue here. You were openly associating with a low, common criminal—"

"He's not a criminal!"

"He vandalized school property. That tells you everything you need to know."

"You don't even know him!"

"And I don't wish to. He isn't one of us, Rose. People like him are outsiders. They don't belong in our circle—not even on the fringes. He isn't even Canadian—he's a foreigner, an American."

"There's nothing wrong with Americans, Mother. Some members of our society are Americans. _We _used to be Americans! You just don't like him because he's poor!"

"People like him are poor for a reason. If he was meant to be one of us, his family would have earned it. They would have worked hard, made plenty of money, and associated with the right people. He comes from lazy, useless stock, Rose, and he isn't worth associating with."

"I think he is!" Rose faced her mother, chin thrust up defiantly.

"Rose, I don't ever want to hear something like that out of you again. He is nothing. People like him aren't fit to look at us, much less associate with someone like you."

"Mother!"

"Don't argue with me, Rose. I forbid you to see him again."

"But we go to the same school and share some classes. We don't have a choice!"

"You can still avoid him, avoid speaking to him. Your teachers will understand. They know that members of our society don't associate with people like him."

"I can't believe you're so narrow-minded!"

"There's nothing narrow-minded about protecting one's child from dangerous influences."

"Mother…"

"You'll do as I say, Rose. It's not too late to send you to that boarding school I was considering. Their school year doesn't start for another week, yet. There's plenty of time to send you there—if you don't do as I say."

"No!"

"Yes, Rose. I'm not going to let you ruin your life and your future by associating with riffraff. Either you stay away from _Jack_, or you go away to boarding school. It's your choice."

"You promised me that I wouldn't have to go away after Daddy died."

"You won't—if you do what I tell you."

Rose set her jaw, unwilling to let her mother see how close to tears she was. "It's not fair."

"Of course it's unfair, Rose. We're women. Our choices are never easy." Ruth almost looked sympathetic.

"Especially when we aren't given any choices," Rose mumbled, fixing her eyes on the gleaming marble floor.

Ruth's face hardened. "You do have a choice, Rose. But either way, you won't be associating with him anymore. Is that understood?"

Rose glared at her mother, her face set angrily. "I understand."

"Good. Now go upstairs and start your homework. Dinner will be in an hour. Make sure you dress properly."

Rose stomped up the stairs, turning and sticking her tongue out when Ruth turned her back. The small act of defiance didn't make her feel any better, though.

She flung herself face down on her bed, struggling not to cry. Ruth would know if she'd been crying.

It wasn't fair. She'd finally worked things out with Jack, called a truce—and now she was forbidden to speak to him. Word would no doubt get back to her mother if she defied her.

She plucked a tissue from the box on her bedside table, quickly wiping her eyes as they overflowed. She liked Jack, and wanted to be with him—as friends, if nothing else—but her mother wouldn't even give him a chance. He wasn't one of them, and was therefore not worth considering, so far as her mother was concerned.

_Why do I have to follow these stupid rules?_ Rose wondered. _Why can't I decide who I'll speak to and be friends with, regardless of how much money they have? I'm almost an adult. Shouldn't that be my decision? _

_Not in this society_, he mind chided her. _You're a girl born to wealth and privilege. You have a responsibility to maintain the status quo…no matter what the cost. What would our society be like if just anyone could be a part? _

_It would be a better place_, she decided. _Better for everyone except the snobs. But things aren't likely to change anytime soon, and if I want to be accepted, I have to follow the rules. This is the only world I know, and I have to do what I'm told in order to be a part of it. _

_I don't have a choice. _


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Chapter Fifteen**

"Rose! Rose, hang on a minute!" Jack rushed up to her, cutting her off before she could escape into the crowd.

A few people turned to stare. Rose ducked her head, hoping that no one would report back to her mother the fact that she had been talking to Jack at school.

"Rose, what's going on? I've been trying to get your attention all day."

Rose looked around quickly, then slipped around the corner into an empty hallway. She had managed to avoid talking to him all day, first by staying with her friends, and then by pretending to be deeply concentrating on her studies or on the game they were playing in PE.

It had been easy to avoid him for the first week after her mother had forbidden her to see him—he had been out of school on suspension, and she didn't know his exact address or his phone number, so she had an excuse not to call him. Now, though, she would have to think of a way to keep him away from her. She liked him, and didn't want to hurt him, but she had no choice.

"I can't see you," she told him, glancing around anxiously lest someone see them talking and report her to her mother or to one of her friends.

"Why not?" Jack looked confused. He had thought that she was warming to him, but perhaps he had been wrong.

"I…I just can't."

"If you've got a boyfriend, Rose, I'm not going to try to steal you from him. I just want to be friends."

"I know…I…there's no boyfriend, Jack. I just…I can't see you."

"Why?"

"I…I just can't, is all." She couldn't tell him what her mother had said, or what would happen if someone saw them talking. She couldn't hurt him.

It seemed that she was going to hurt him anyway, though. "Why?" he asked, a hint of anger entering his voice. "Did you decide that I'm a gutter rat after all?"

"No! I just…Jack, I just can't see you. Please try to understand."

He stared at her for a moment, running a hand through his already messy hair. "Fine. Whatever." He turned and walked away.

"Jack, I'm sorry!"

"Save it, Rose. I should have known better than to trust you. You're no different from the other members of your crowd." He walked out the door, slamming it behind him.

Rose stared after him, her eyes brimming with tears. She hadn't wanted to hurt him, but it seemed that she had anyway. But what else could she have done? She didn't have a choice.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Chapter Sixteen**

Rose was still upset when she came home from school. She dragged herself into the house, finding, to her surprise, that her mother was already home. Ruth was seldom home this early.

"Mother, what are you doing home? I didn't expect you back until dinner."

"Don't tell me you've forgotten, Rose. We're going to a dinner party tonight."

"Tonight? But it's the middle of the week. I have school in the morning."

"We won't be out late—probably not later than ten."

Rose had forgotten—or maybe Ruth had neglected to tell her. "Who's giving the party, Mother?"

"The Hockleys, Rose. I know that you and Cal had a disagreement, but he's willing to forgive you and make up."

"Mother, that wasn't just a disagreement—"

"Yes, Rose, I'm well aware of how rude you were, but Cal understands that young women like yourself sometimes indulge in flights of fancy. It will be all right, Rose."

"Flights of fancy! Mother, he was abusing me!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Rose. A fine gentleman like Cal would never abuse anyone, let alone the woman he loves."

"Yes, he did! Mother, he hit me, and tried to tear my dress off—"

"Rose!" Ruth's eyes grew hard. "Not another word out of you. You'll go to the party tonight, and you'll behave appropriately."

When Rose opened her mouth to object again, Ruth put up a hand to stop her, her eyes narrowing. "I talked to the boarding school today, Rose. They'll take you anytime. We'll simply transfer your grades from your current school to the new one."

Rose clamped her mouth shut, glaring furiously at her mother. It was a threat that Ruth used whenever she wanted Rose to behave—and it worked. Rose had visited the cold, bleak boarding school, and had no desire to be sent there.

"Now, Rose, I want you to go upstairs and get dressed for dinner. I think your red dress with the black lace would be best. Wear your new red and black boots, too—the ones that match the dress. And I think you should wear your emerald necklace and earrings."

"Mother—"

"Do as I told you, Rose. This is a very important dinner. The best members of our society will be there, as well as several candidates for office. And Rose—I expect you to be on your best behavior." Ruth moved toward the stairs. "We will be leaving in two hours. Get a shower and get dressed. I expect you to look your best and to be on time. Your behavior of late has been abominable, and I won't stand for it. Do you understand me, Rose?"

Rose tried to wipe the anger off her face, knowing that it only made her mother angrier. "Yes, Mother."

"Good. We will be leaving at six, and I expect you be ready."

XXXXX

Rose stood in the hot shower, her hands clenched furiously around the thick washcloth. A dinner party! On a school night! She hadn't wanted to go out at all, but if she had to, why couldn't she do something fun, like go out for pizza or go to the football game? Anything would be better than another dull, pointless dinner party, where she was expected to dress up and act like a lady.

And worse yet, the Hockleys were hosting the party. That meant that Cal would be there, and her mother would do her best to push them together again. Rose had been miserable with Cal the first time, and she wasn't looking forward to seeing him again. But she knew that Ruth would insist, and Rose would have no choice but to be polite and talk to him, no matter what she really felt.

Why did she have to go, anyway? There would be some people running for office, but Rose was too young to vote. It wouldn't do them any good to have her support, and they were probably people handpicked by the Hockleys—people who supported them and their society, not people with any interesting ideas or thoughts about the rest of the people.

What would Jack think? Rose wondered. He would probably be either bored or disgusted with the whole thing, maybe both. The people of her society were so petty—the thought of themselves as giants on the earth, but they never saw what went on outside of their little world. One day, something would happen to burst their bubble—and none of them would see it coming. Then there would be anger, and recriminations, and people would be looked for to take the blame. And then, slowly but surely, they'd forget, and retreat into their own little world, until the next time it happened.

Rose hated the life she led. There was so much more to the world than what her society saw and approved, but she wasn't allowed to experience any of it. When she even tried, she was slapped down. She knew her place, and knew that there was nothing else for her, no matter how much she wished it.

Rose's whole seventeen years seemed to her to be pointless, and she saw no way out.


End file.
